Zuko's Secret
by FusionGig
Summary: Zuko wants Katara, a new person on his ship might ruin it for him and his uncle knows of his want for Katara. Things have gone from bad to worse to terrible. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Avater: The Last Airbender, thank you and goodnight.

I was just dabbling in this, it might not go any farther.

**New Arrival**

Zuko's uncle Iroh entered Zuko's room, he looked sad and stressed something that his uncle never looked like. Zuko looked at him with interest, what could have caused his uncle to be sad and stressed?

"Prince Zuko, I have just recieved a letter from your father. It seems that someone has convinced him that you are not working fast enough. The Fire Lord has sent someone to help." Uncle said gravely. He looked back at the enterance. "Zahaire, you may enter now." A girl with long black hair walked into Zuko's room. Zuko realized that he was only in his undergarments and made a mad grab for any type of clothes. The girl laughed at his anxiety.

"Prince Zuko, I am Zahaire. At your service." She gave a mocking bow, Zuko decided that he didn't like Zahaire that much but she was quite attractive.

"Uh... Thank you, but I have no need for your services." Zuko growled harshly, he no longer cared that he was half naked. This girl could see if she wanted. But her eyes didn't stray lower on his body but glared right into his eyes.

"The Fire Lord has commanded it. Neither you nor I have any say in this, so we should learn to get along Prince Zuko." Zahaire snarled, she put her hands on her narrow hips. Her body language said that she was on the offense and ready to take down anyone who stood in her way.

"Fine, but don't think just because the Fire Lord commanded it I'll allow you to join in everything." Zuko took a threatening step forward, his quick temper was working again.

"I did not want to be here in the first place, so it does not even matter if you include me or not." Zahaire mimicked Zuko and took a step forward. They were so close that either could reach out and touch the other.

Zuko's uncle cleared his throat, "Glad you two are getting along so nicely. Zahaire if you would kindly accompany me out I believe that Prince Zuko should get dressed." He lightly touched Zahaire's elbow, gesturing toward the exit. She stalked out of the room, her aura swirling with anger.

"Prince Zuko, may I suggest that you try to get along with the girl. Your father did indeed send her to you for assistance." Uncle whispered to Zuko as he walked by. Zuko glared down at the balding stout man. Uncle pulled the door shut, Zuko turned on his heel and began getting dressed.

Zuko walked out into the bright morning sun, his thoughts were on catching the Avatar. Zuko looked at the captain of the ship.

"There are reports of an airbender and two waterbenders heading toward the Earth Nation. I suggest we head them off." The Captain spoke sharply.

"Do it," Zuko turned away from the Captain and looked out at the sea. His thoughts drifted to one of the waterbenders, the only girl in their traveling group. Katara was a kind person, two years younger then himself, brown hair and blue eyes. 'But she is a waterbender, she would never accept...' His thoughts trailed off, he wondered why he was falling for a waterbender of all people. 'She is a strong waterbender,' He argued with himself, Uncle Iroh stepped next to his nephew.

"You looked troubled Prince Zuko, what bothers you this fine morning?" Uncle Iroh continued to look out at the water, he never even glanced at Zuko.

"Diplomatic things, I simply want to catch the Avatar and go home." Zuko leaned against the railing of the boat. He only told his uncle half the truth, he would never admit out loud that he had feelings for a waterbender.

"Is that all that troubles you, Prince Zuko?" Uncle Iroh said, never looking at Zuko. Anyone who was watching them wouldn't think that they were having an intimate conversation. Atleast as intimate as Zuko ever got.

"What else would trouble me, Uncle?" Zuko glanced at him uncle. Could he possibly know about Katara? He had no way of knowing, but could he have guessed?

"You have seemed sad ever since we last met the Avatar and his traveling companions." Uncle Iroh was still talking to the sea, Zuko didn't know what to say.

"I simply want to catch the Avatar." Zuko lied, it wasn't technically a lie but a half-truth.

"And what of the waterbenders?" Uncle Iroh spoke quietly, almost as if he was concerned that saying it too loud would bring undesired attention.

"What of them?" Zuko's heart thumped painfully in his chest, " If they get in the way, destroy them." He spoke flattly but inside he quivered in concern. His uncle knew.

"I see, but what-" Uncle Iroh began, but Zahaire cut him off.

"Prince Zuko, the Avatar has been spotted." Zahaire said, not realizing that she had just saved Zuko from having to explain anything to his uncle.

"Get the boat ready, tell the men that we leave as soon as we reach shore." Zuko spoke sharply, excitement bubbled in his chest. Perhaps he will catch the Avatar today, perhaps he would see Katara again.

"Uncle, you were about to ask something?" Zuko asked, he was in midstep to the small vessal that was used when they came closer to dry land.

"Oh, nothing Prince Zuko." Uncle Iroh turned and walked away from Zuko. Zuko felt a sigh of relief welding up in his chest, his uncle may know but he wasn't positive yet so he would hold his tongue until he was. Zuko hoped that he would never be positive.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The mini vessel hit the shore line, Zuko all but flew out of the vessel. Zahaire hopped out of the ship and dropped so close to Zuko that their clothes brushed to other's, Zuko glared at her. "The Avatar was spotted just outside of the earth nation 1/4 of a mile inland." She pointed toward the direction they should go.

Zuko nodded curtly and began toward where she pointed, Zahaire naturally followed. "Where do you think you're going?" Zuko snarled at her over his shoulder.

"To go after the Avatar." Zahaire said flatly, her impression of Zuko went down at the stupidity of the question.

"No, you will stay with the ship." Zuko walked off into the tree line with Zahaire staring at him mouth gaping. It took her several seconds before she recovered enough to move. Flames exploded in her clenched fists and she hurtled a fire ball at the near by tree. The power and heat broke the tree as if it were a tooth pick, it crashed to the ground.

"I hope that gives away our position you egotistical prick." Zahaire growled under her breath, her face lit by the ghostly flames in her hands.

Zuko heard a tree come crashing to the ground, he gasped suddenly realizing that Zahaire had ment to give away their position to the Avatar and Katara. Zuko ran for the earth nation's village, his men hot on his heels and his uncle slowly jogging behind them. He broke the line of the trees to see the small village, people in green walked from here to there, only three stood out among the green clothes. A small air bender with two water benders.

Zuko sprang into action sending a fire ball towards the Avatar but carefully avoiding Katara. "Avatar," He hissed under his breath. Zuko could see that Katara was alarmed by his sudden arrival, her eyes were wide and concern showed plain on her face. But Zuko didn't have a chance to study Katara's reaction before the Avatar blew an overwhelming gust of wind at him.

He tried to shield himself from the sudden burst only to be pushed back a few feet, the wind died down and Zuko jumped toward the Avatar. Zuko aimed kicks at the Avatar's head only to have missed by centimeters, air and fire flew threw the surronding air at amazing speeds. But the Avatar did something that Zuko hadn't planned on, a large boulder was lifted by an invisible hand and smashed into Zuko's back. The breath was knocked out of him as he laided stunned on the ground, Zuko saw in his blurred vision a huge white bison slowly coming to land. Desperation clawed at his chest, he forced himself to stand, finally able to stand his anger came roaring back giving him the power to create fire. Zuko moved with alarming speed and accuracy, in a few seconds the Avatar laid stunned by the brutal attack.

"Tie him up, NOW!" Zuko roared at his men, they jumped immediately into action. Zuko turned his attention to Katara only to be distracted by a painful kick to the face. He was jerked back by the force to see the other water bender standing as if he had just sent a blow, Zuko realized that the male water bender had kicked him. "Do you want to fight, water bender?" Zuko briefly wondered what his name was but he couldn't recall.

"Release Ang!" The water bender snarled, his body language showed that he was preparing for a battle. Zuko snickered and began without warning. Fire exploded through his hands. Zuko threw as many fire balls as he could make at the water bender, a few grazed his body but none did actual severe damage. 'Pity,' Zuko thought seeing that his efforts were almost in vain. A thought struck him, he knew that the water bender was highly protective of Katara. He grinned again and aimed for Katara.

The fire hissed centimeters over her head but it was enough to distract him. The water bender moved to help his sister when Zuko landed a fist into his cheek, he angled his body up to twist the head to knock him out. The move worked and he was down for the count. Zuko stared down at the male water bender's unconcussious form, Katara's breath was audible. She violently pushed Zuko back, but Zuko had expected her reaction. He caught her wrists as she she tried to fight against him, but he held her tight.

"You'll come with the Avatar as well I see." Zuko smirked, her face was inches from his. He played with the idea of kissing her petal soft lips but dismissed it. "Back to the ship, tie up the water benders." Zuko pushed Katara to one of the men with several inches of rope, and started toward the smaller vessel.

The hike back to the vessel was a short enjoyable trip, he had the Avatar, and Katara. They arrived back in minutes but Zuko wished that the feeling of being unconquereable would never end. Zahaire leaned against the boat, one foot agaist the ship. She glanced up, her eyes filled with rage. But without a word she disappeared into it. Zuko dismissed her strange activities as her being mad at being left behind, he shrugged. The unconcussious waterbender was thrown unceremonially into the small vessel, the Avatar placed on top of the waterbender and Katara next to the two. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears, it hurt Zuko to see her so sad but he refused to let it get in the way of his goal.

They reached the main ship without much fuss, Zahaire was uncharacteristically silent and Zuko was bathing in victory. Only the quiet sobs of Katara could be heard in the grave yard quiet. When they reached the ship the three were put into two separate rooms, Katara was put in one while the Avatar and water bender were placed in another. Katara screamed when she realized she was being separated from her brother and friend but that didn't stop the men from throwing her into the dark bedroom. She continued to scream until her voice was hoarse then was reduced to sobbing again. Zuko pressed himself against the wall listening to Katara's wailing, he shook with the urge to go and comfort her. But his pride kept him from doing something so stupid as helping the enemy, Zuko was so absorbed in listening to Katara he didn't notice that his uncle had quietly came down the steps.

"Hello Prince Zuko, what brings you to this station?" Iroh asked, even though he knew exactly why Zuko was pushing himself so hard into the wall that his back had molded to the indivual grooves and dips.

"Just watching the prisoners." Zuko said dismissively, his cheeks paled then burned red at being caught in this heart wrenching moment. He wished his uncle gone but he couldn't request that he leave without raising unwanted questions.

"The girl sounds sad, perhaps she needs to be comforted?" Iroh suggested then walked away, back up onto the dock. Zuko knew that his uncle knew, but he hadn't said anything that said he would tell anyone. His uncle was wise and kind, Zuko thanked the gods that his uncle was the way he was.

Zuko moved to stand infront of the door, but a thought struck him. 'She will find it odd that I, Prince Zuko of the fire nation would come and comfort her. And excuse, I need an excuse!' For several seconds he stood and wonder about an excuse. 'Wounds!' He would pretend he was tending to her wounds. He disappeared for half a second to retrieve the nessecary tools for caring for wounds. Zuko knocked timidly on the door before unlatching it and pushing it open.

Katara's cell was the best that the ship had, but it was still dirty and dark. Katara was huddled in a corner, her smaller form trembling from tears. The cold breathed against Zuko's uncovered flesh, he realized that she must be chilled. A closet was in reach of her cell, he pulled a blanket from it and entered. At first Katara drew back from Zuko only to be stopped by the cold unmoving wall. Zuko threw a blanket over her shoulders, pretending that his heart wasn't shattered by her attempt at escape. She looked uncertain but gripped the blanket as if it were a life line.

Zuko motioned to the bandages and ointments in his hands, "Your wounds," He said gently. Zuko looked at Katara's body, a small burn was on her forehead. Zuko felt ashamed for burning her, there was a scratch on her cheek as well. He knelt by her and to his surprise Katara didn't try to pull away from him.

Zuko unscrew the top of a rosemary smelling ointment, "This may sting a little." He dabbed his fingers into the goop and placed it gingerly on Katara's cheek. She jerked away, her head hit the unforgiving wall. Zuko hissed at the thought of how it must have hurt, he reached around her head and rubbed the place where she hit. Her hair was cool against his fingers, he noticed that her body temp. was cool as well. 'Cool like water,' Zuko thought. He continued to spread oitment on her cheek, after he decided that it was enough he covered it with a bandage. Zuko moved to her forehead, he opened a new ointment that smelled like pine.

"Why are you doing this?" Katara whispered timidly, her voice cracked. A fresh tear rolled down her cheek, Zuko wiped it away without thinking. He didn't answer her question but continued to gently put the ointment on her head. A bandage didn't go over this one, a burn really need to breath.

"You are hurt, I'm just helping." He sat back on his heels, and screw the caps back on the ointments.

"No, well sort of. Why did you attack us?" She stared hard into Zuko's eyes, a fire burned in them. Zuko felt that he should draw back, his body moved without his thinking but he covered it up by sitting down and crossing his legs.

"Do you want to know how I got this?" He gently touched his burn scar, "How I got this scar?" The skin was soft and smooth, the only way it got that way was by a severe burn.

"Yes," Katara whispered, she pulled the blanket closer around her.

"My father is the Fire Lord, and we were in court one day. A general said something, I can't even remember what. I spoke out against him, it was thought of as an offense. I was challenged to a duel, I accepted thinking that it would be against the general. It wasn't, the offense had been made in the Fire Lord's court so the Fire Lord was the one I was to duel. I refused to fight my own father, he saw it as a sign of weakness and burned my eye. He said that regain my honor I would have to bring the Avatar back to the fire nation, only then could I have my place as prince of the fire nation. I've been hunting the Avatar for two years now, and I've finally gotten him." Zuko's eyes had gone unfocused from remembering, Katara watched with stunned silence.

"Your own father?" She whispered, Zuko looked at her shocked blue eyes. He simply nodded, Zuko's throat began the squeeze shut. His eyes burned, he looked away from Katara to hid the approaching tears. Zuko's need for pride forced him to his feet, he had to get to his feet to flee. Katara grabbed his hand, Zuko had made it to his feet when Katara had grabbed him. He stared down at her, her beautiful face filled with concern, but it wasn't concern for the Avatar or for her brother. It was concern for him, for Zuko prince of the fire nation. Katara stared up into Zuko's eyes, and lightly kissed his finger tips.


	3. Chapter 3

Discovery

"I knew it." A harsh growl said from the shadows. Zahaire stepped out, her hair whirled around her waist. "I knew you had feelings for the girl." She had a triumphant smirk on her face.

Zuko snatched his hand away from Katara on instinct. " What are you doing here, Zahaire?" He snarled at her, Zuko moved in front of Katara he didn't know why Zahaire was acting like she was but he didn't like it.

"What am I doing? What are you doing Prince Zuko?" She paced on the balls of her feet like a cat, " You're the one in a cell playing kissy- face with a prisoner. Really, I thought you'd be more careful." She smirked down at Katara.

"Kissy-face? What are you talking about? I was treated the waterbender's wounds. She has to be in full health for proper torture." He was beginning to be desparate. Zahaire knew, and he had to convince her other wise or things could be come very complicated.

"I'm sure, Prince Zuko. If you plan to torture her, then you won't mind if I have her for a very hours." Zahaire snatched Katara towards her faster then Zuko could follow. Fear scratched it's way up his throat.

"No!" Zuko said fast without thinking. "The girl is mine to do with as I please. Leave, now." He glared at Zahaire, she smiled back.

"I see now that the little prince wants his pet back. Here." Zahaire shoved Katara so hard that she toppled onto the floor. "Watch your step, Prince. I know your secret and I'm sure that the Fire Lord wouldn't want to know that his son is a water lover." She then vanished, Zuko knelt to help Katara.

Katara jerked away from his out stretched hand, "What was she talking about?" She glared up at him, eyes alive with anger. "What was your real reason for coming here?"

Zuko felt trapped, his instincts screamed for him to escape. He used anger to cover up his hurt and fear, "You don't need to know, waterbender." He stood and stalked out of the room slamming the door behind him. Zuko locked the door and stormed to deck. Zahaire was no where to be found, _'Good'_ Zuko thought, _'That witch has caused me more trouble then good. In fact she hasn't caused me any good! Evil, wicked, stupid girl.'_ He was so busy brooding about Zahaire that Uncle appeared at his elbow and stood looking at him for a full two minutes before clearing his throat.

"Things didn't go as planned then, Prince Zuko?" Uncle looked out at the sea again, a faint smirk on his weather face.

"What are you talking about, Uncle? We've caught the Avatar, every went exactly as planned." Zuko snarled, sarcasm thick in his voice. "Yes, everything went swimmingly!" The rage built up a fire ball which he hurtled out to sea, he watched it hiss out on contact with the water. _'That's how it would be, if I was ever with her. We'd destroy each other on contact.'_ He glared out into the gently rolling waves again.

"Although it doesn't seem that fire and water could ever mix. They do. They simply make something new that no one ever realizes." Uncle turned and left, Zuko staring after him. _'He's finally gone over the deep end. He's speaking in tongues!'_ Zuko thought, although the cryptic message seemed to make sense. He groaned and rested his head on the rail, "There will be no stopping him now. He'll go cryptic message crazy." Zuko stood there with his head on the rail thinking of what to do, and after debating it he knew what he had to do. Although he didn't want to, he had to. For the good of everyone, especially himself.


	4. Chapter 4

Devestation Of The Heart

Zuko felt his heavy heart in his chest. Only once had he felt this sad, lonely and depressed. He touched the soft skin around his eye, _'I felt abandoned then, but I am strong now.'_ He glared at the wooden wall of his room. Zuko had been sitting on his bed waiting for the proper time when the whole ship was silent and asleep. The person in the crows nest would be awake but probably wouldn't see the dark figure slinking along the side of the ship deck. Finally, after many hours of sitting silently Zuko stood. He put his long black cloak on and drew the hood up to cover his head. _'Tonight, I'll set her free. And tonight I'll be set free as well.'_

Zuko moved silently, the only sounds were the soft exhale of breath and the gentle padding of feet. His heart beat hard in his chest, the anxiety screaming through his veins. Ears perked to every sound and eyes wary of every movement. Quiet as the wind Zuko wove his way to the cells, completely aware of every sight, sound, and smell. There comes a point when sense become too heightened that they miss the obvious. Zuko missed the one thing that would prehaps ruin everything for him, the quick shadow in the corner. The cells were under the deck, and the wood was damp beneath his bare feet. But Zuko managed to get the keys and go to the cell without being noticed. He went to Katara's cell first, the bolt slid back only making a slight scrapping sound against the wood.

Underneath the blanket with her head on her arm Katara slept. Zuko stopped to admire the shire beauty of her, his heart longed to touch her but he resisted. _'First I have to finish my mission.' _He thought to himself. Zuko knelt and gently shook Katara. "Ka..." He stopped, Zuko realized that he had never said her name outloud to anyone. "Ka... Katara." Her name blossumed out of his mouth and Zuko's spirit soared. He wanted to say her glorious name again and again, he wanted to sing her name into the wind so that it would be carried away to the poor souls that had never heard it before. He wanted to bless everyone with her name, but most of all he wanted to take her name and keep it for himself to charish forever.

Katara opened her eyes, Zuko was spell bound by the stunning shade of blue that seemed to glow in the dark. "Zuko? What are you doing here?" She blinked and rubbed her eyes.

"We need to leave, now. I'm setting you free." He tugged at her arm, he felt his skin tingle where he had touched her.

"What about Ang and Sokka? I'm not leaving without them." She said matter-of-factly. Her eyes were alive with the familiar determination and fire.

"Them too, but we have to leave right now." Zuko pulled her up so that she was standing. He held her close to his chest as he turned to leave. The figure in the door way stopped him cold.

"Leaving so soon, little prince?" The icy voice made his blood cold. He was caught, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Zuko glared, "Zahaire." She smiled at him, her eyes turned a gleaming red saying that she was ready for a fight all he had to do was start it. "Leave, I order you to leave and tell no one of what you've just seen."

Zahaire's smiled turned evil, if evil was ever a person that would be what it would look like. "No, you were removed as prince. You have no power over me." Her smiled broadened. "I challenge you to a duel, the once Prince Zuko."

Zuko knew what she was doing, if they duelled then it would wake the whole ship. But he couldn't refuse the duel or risk further persicuion. "Why are you doing this?" Katara saved him from making his decision.

Zahaire turned her cold gaze to her, "Because, waterbender, he loves you. Don't you see it?" Zuko thought that he blood stopped flowing.

"Don't talk to her!" Zuko roared, he didn't care if the whole ship woke up. Zahaire had over stepped the one thing that she shouldn't have. He felt Katara's eyes on him but he couldn't look at her and see the horror of the truth.

"Is it true?" Katara asked in a small voice, it was so small and so fragile that Zuko didn't want to answer in case he was wrong and crushed that tiny voice. Katara showed a sudden forcefulness. She grabbed his face and turned it towards her's. "Is it true, Zuko?" Zuko was forced to stare directly into her crystal blue eyes.

He looked down, avoiding eye contact. But she had asked so agressively that Zuko was forced to answer. "Yes," He said in the quiet voice. Although it was quiet he refused to apologize for it, he met her eyes with a fiery stare.

What Zuko had expected to find was a horrified look of terror and disgust. What he found was something different. It was a quiet amazement, then slowly it transformed into a small smirk. That small smirk grew into a sheepish grin, and from the sheepish grin and loving smile. "I love you too." At first Zuko didn't belief his ears, did the goddess of water just say that she loved him, Zuko? His mind rejected the fact that was directly in front of his face, then his soul burst from his chest. Never had he felt such happiness and joy, he knew it was impossible for one being to hold such a feeling but still his skin held. His chest swelled, so otherwhelmed with this screaming elation.

"Well, that's simply adorable!" Zahaire cried sarcastically, she clapped her hands together. "But now, it has to end. Good-bye Katara." Fire hit Katara hard. In one second the love of his life was being held in his arms and the next she was whirthing on the ground on fire. She was screaming, wordless and in agony. Her skin was buring. Her hair and clothes were on fire, he had to put it out. Zuko had to put it out before Katara was badly hurt, before Katara died.

But the fire wouldn't die, it continued to consume Katara. Desperation ripped at Zuko, he had to save Katara. Tears burned his eyes and someone was screaming "Katara! Katara!" Over and over again, the thing that had once been Zuko's beautiful Katara stopped screaming and stopped moving. Her body was burned, the skin flaked off like paper. Blood oozed from the burn wounds, but she was dead. His love and his life was dead. Katara was dead.

Zuko knelt cradling Katara in his arms crying for what felt like an eternity, his heart was broken into a million peices and now he was crying it out. He continued to scream "Katara" over and over but it started to fade just as she had faded. It faded to a whisper, and then it eventually died. Exhaustion took ahold of Zuko, he wanted a death sleep. Something that he'd never come back from, something that would take him to his Katara.

Something tickled his cheek. Hair? A voice whispered something in his ear, "She wasn't anything special. Just a common waterbender. I can do things that she could never do for you, Prince Zuko." Zahaire had bend over him and whispered this in his ear. Blind fury took ahold of him. His hand shot out so fast that he wasn't able to follow it. He had an iron grip on her throat, so tight that air wasn't able to pass through it.

"You'll never be a fourth as great as Katara." And with one swift movement, Zahaire's neck was snapped. She crumbled to the floor, gave a jerky kick, then laid still. Zuko left her there and knelt to pick up Katara's burned remains. He carried her to Sokka and Ang's cell. When Sokka saw his dear younger sister he did exactly what Zuko wanted him to do. Sokka killed Zuko, and finally he was able to be with his sweet Katara.


End file.
